Truck driver hit, killed Friday after WBR crash

Truck driver hit, killed Friday after WBR crash

A pickup struck and fatally injured the driver of a tractor-trailer involved in a collision with another 18-wheeler early Friday after he got out of his cab to place orange warning triangles to alert drivers of the initial crash, according to a Louisiana State Police news release.

One of the tractor-trailers hit the other at 1:45 a.m. on U.S. 190, west of La. 1145 in West Baton Rouge Parish, according to the release.

Troopers identified the driver killed in the incident as Nathan C. Tobias Jr., 57, of Plaquemine.

The initial State Police investigation determined that Tobias was driving east on U.S. 190 in a 2006 Freightliner tractor-trailer. As he was slowing to turn left off of U.S. 190, Tobias’ truck was struck in the rear by another Freightliner tractor-trailer, causing minor damage to both vehicles.

After the crash, Tobias got out of his truck in order to place orange warning triangles in the roadway to alert motorists of the crash.

While Tobias was attempting to set up the warning triangles in the roadway, Dylan G. Hood, 19, of Brusly, was driving his 2003 Chevrolet pickup east on U.S. 190, troopers reported. For unknown reasons, Hood’s pickup struck Tobias.

An ambulance called to the scene transported Tobias to Baton Rouge General Mid-City Hospital, where he later died, according to the release.

Impairment by Hood and Tobias is not suspected; however, troopers have submitted toxicology samples from both to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis.